Caribbeantales International Film Festival Celebrates 20 Years of Big Vibes, Big Stories and Brilliant Filmmaking
Toronto, ON - The CaribbeanTales International Film Festival (CTFF), North America’s premier event showcasing Caribbean and diaspora cinema, proudly announces its 20th anniversary edition, taking place Wednesday September 3rd to Saturday September 13th, 2025, in Toronto and online worldwide from September 3rd to October 3rd, 2025.
Under the theme “Resilience in Motion,” this milestone festival will celebrate two decades of transformative storytelling from across the Caribbean region and its global diaspora with 49 incredible films. Programming will include premieres, retrospectives, talkbacks, tributes, and a global virtual component, underscoring CTFF’s enduring commitment to elevating underrepresented voices in film.
Founded in 2006 by Frances-Anne Solomon, an award-winning filmmaker and advocate for diverse cinema, CTFF has grown into an internationally recognized platform for Caribbean filmmakers. Over the past two decades, the festival has screened more than 1000 films, supported hundreds of creators, and played a critical role in shifting how Caribbean narratives are represented on screen.
“This 20th anniversary is both a celebration and a call to action,” says Frances-Anne Solomon, Founder and Executive Director of CaribbeanTales Media Group (CTMG). “We look back on a generation of groundbreaking films and look ahead to a vibrant future where Caribbean stories continue to redefine the global cinematic landscape.”
Festival Highlights Include:
20th Anniversary | 49 Films | Canadian premieres | 15+ Countries represented
Opening Night Film: Bankie Banx: King of the Dune (Nara Garber, Anguilla/USA, 2024), featuring reggae icon Bankie Banx (aka Anguillan Bob Dylan), singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffet, actor Kevin Bacon, Stephen “Cat” Coore (founding guitarist with Third World)
Closing night Film: The Last Meal (Maryse Legagneur, Canada/DR, 2024)
September 6th - Honouring Our Legends: Celebrating the 88th Birthday of The Honourable Dr. Jean Augustine at The Harbourfront Centre Theatre, film screenings and the presentation of the Jean Augustine Excellence Award to Steelpan Ambassador Wendy Jones
September 7th - Canadian Premiere of Nomad in No Man's Land (Hester Jonkhout, Netherlands/Curaçao, 2024), a film about pioneering director Felix de Rooy, who is an openly gay celebrated artist in the Caribbean
Virtual CTFF from September 3rd - October 3rd, an extensive online platform accessible to global audiences.
Over the years, CTFF has been a launchpad for acclaimed works that have gone on to receive international recognition, while also serving as a cultural bridge between the Caribbean and broader international film communities.
The full festival lineup and ticketing details will be announced on August 3, 2025, via the festival website: www.caribbeantalesfestival.com.
